Reminder on Salvation

The most famous verse in the Bible is no doubt John 3:16.

"For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life."

Today I was reminded of the verse again, its message and the eternal truth it conveys. Thank you Pastor Bel for the Sunday sermon. Only it's unfortunate that I can't enjoy it to the fullest because of my spiritual downturn.

But I'm not allowing my condition now from sharing to the world the timeless power and beauty of God's Word.

God's love for the world is real. We cannot doubt it. The expression is even more touching-- the giving of His one and only Son to die for us and to take up the penalty for all our sins-- past, present and future.

This statement is very common in the Philippines it has lost its impact. But if we stop and consider the parameters, all the more we will appreciate and thank God for Jesus Christ.

That the penalty of sin is eternal spiritual death is clear in the Bible. All people who sinned will have to pay for their sins to satisfy God's wrath. Death is the only penalty acceptable to God. But whereas we continue to live sinful lives, God has laid out the perfect master plan for our salvation.

There will be death. There will the shedding of blood. There will be a life sacrificed. But these things will not happen to us. These things happened to Jesus Christ. He took upon Himself the greatest penalty for our sins. He who knew not sin, became sin in order to pay its penalty.

This is God's gift. There is now a way for us to approach the Father. That is through Jesus Christ, his one and only Son.

This gift is free and is waiting for us, but there has to be a response. God desires that all people be saved, but the reality is not all will be. This is not because God is unable to save us all. Instead, it is because there are people who love darkness more than light that they are willing to say no to God's gift. Unthinkable? Yes. But it is the reality.

But for those who receive him and believe in His name, they become God's children. But I warn you, to believe in Christ does not mean to acknowledge His existence only. It is not intellectual change that must occur. What's required is life change.

To believe in Christ means to be convinced that Jesus came to the world to die for our sins, to trust in Jesus as the only way to salvation, and to submit our lives to Him.

In my experience, the third component of believing is the most difficult. This entails struggling against sin and temptation day by day. This is impossible using my own strength. But with God's grace, I am able to stand whenever I fall and to regain my walk with Him.

Ever since I believed in Christ, I had encountered so many things. I continue to grow and to seek His will. Though I am in a downturn right now, I know the salvation I have in Christ is real. Oh how I long to feel the joy of Christ once more.